jealous

[jel-uh s]

adjective

feeling resentment against someone because of that person's rivalry, success, or advantages (often followed by of): He was jealous of his rich brother.
feeling resentment because of another's success, advantage, etc. (often followed by of): He was jealous of his brother's wealth.
characterized by or proceeding from suspicious fears or envious resentment: a jealous rage; jealous intrigues.

inclined to or troubled by suspicions or fears of rivalry, unfaithfulness, etc., as in love or aims: a jealous husband.
solicitous or vigilant in maintaining or guarding something: The American people are jealous of their freedom.
Bible. intolerant of unfaithfulness or rivalry: The Lord is a jealous God.

Origin of jealous

1175–1225; Middle English jelous, gelos < Old French gelos (French jaloux) < Vulgar Latin *zēlōsus, equivalent to Late Latin zēl(us) zeal + ōsus -ose¹

Related formsjeal·ous·ly, adverbjeal·ous·ness, nouno·ver·jeal·ous, adjectiveo·ver·jeal·ous·ly, adverbo·ver·jeal·ous·ness, nounun·jeal·ous, adjectiveun·jeal·ous·ly, adverb

Can be confusedenviable envious jealous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for jealously

Contemporary Examples of jealously

Even in the West, the health status of top leaders has often been jealously guarded.
China Roiled by Rumors and Questions About Absent Heir Apparent Xi Jinping
Melinda Liu
September 11, 2012
Sparta could not hold on long to naval dominion, but jealously tried to prevent Athens from regaining it.
Iran Arms Race in Ancient Times Echoes Today
James Romm
April 12, 2012
In contrast, Israel has had nuclear weapons since the late 1960s and has jealously guarded its monopoly on them in the region.
Iran Blusters but Israel Has the Edge
Bruce Riedel
September 28, 2011
Intelligence gathering is one of the most jealously guarded and legally protected authorities of a chief executive.
Fighting the Police State in London
Shane Harris
May 22, 2010
For nearly 25 years, I have jealously guarded the value of my brand.
Microsoft Stole My Identity!
Stanley Bing
May 28, 2009

Historical Examples of jealously

Just notice how jealously he watches her and makes the men clean her off!
The Downfall
Emile Zola
Guard them jealously; in nothing, I implore you, act without their sanction.
Hellenica
Xenophon
He was jealously loved, but why she should be jealous, and of what, I could not tell.
Lord Jim
Joseph Conrad
They watch most jealously over the honour of their wives and daughters.
The Memoires of Casanova, Complete
Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
They keep them jealously, and it is very difficult to get the real ones.
In the Forbidden Land
Arnold Henry Savage Landor

British Dictionary definitions for jealously

jealous

adjective

suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rivala jealous lover
(often postpositive and foll by of) resentful (of) or vindictive (towards), esp through envya child jealous of his brother
(often postpositive and foll by of) possessive and watchful in the maintenance or protection (of)jealous of one's reputation
characterized by or resulting from jealousy
obsolete, or biblical demanding exclusive loyaltya jealous God
an obsolete word for zealous

Derived Formsjealously, adverbjealousness, noun

Word Origin for jealous

C13: from Old French gelos, from Medieval Latin zēlōsus, from Late Latin zēlus emulation, jealousy, from Greek zēlos zeal

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for jealously

adv.

late 14c., "in a zealous manner;" 1718, "in a suspicious and possessive manner," from jealous + -ly (2).

jealous

adj.

c.1200, gelus, later jelus (early 14c.), "possessive and suspicious," originally in the context of sexuality or romance; in general use late 14c.; also in a more positive sense, "fond, amorous, ardent," from c.1300, from Old French jalos "keen, zealous; avaricious; jealous" (12c., Modern French jaloux), from Late Latin zelosus, from zelus "zeal," from Greek zelos, sometimes "jealousy," but more often in a good sense ("emulation, rivalry, zeal"). See zeal. In biblical language (early 13c.) "tolerating no unfaithfulness."

Most of the words for 'envy' ... had from the outset a hostile force, based on 'look at' (with malice), 'not love,' etc. Conversely, most of those which became distinctive terms for 'jealousy' were originally used also in a good sense, 'zeal, emulation.' [Buck, pp.1138-9]

Among the ways to express this in other tongues are Swedish svartsjuka, literally "black-sick," from phrase bara svarta strumpor "wear black stockings," also "be jealous." Danish skinsyg "jealous," literally "skin-sick," is from skind "hide, skin" said to be explained by Swedish dialectal expression fa skinn "receive a refusal in courtship."